As the World Falls Down
by Wolf Warrior of Writing
Summary: Sarah is now 21. After high school her parents put her in a mental hospital to take care of her "hallucinations" of her friends from Labyrinth. But Jareth haunts her dreams, and when he shows up for dinner he asks Sarah to make the ultimate sacrifice: to live with him in the Goblin City forever.
1. Chapter 1

"_I've been generous up until now. I can be cruel."_

_ "Generous? How have you been generous?"_

_ "Everything I have done has been generous! Everything I've done I've done for you! You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me. I was frightening. I have re-altered time. I'VE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE-DOWN AND I DID IT ALL FOR YOU! I'm exhausted from living up to your expectations. Isn't that generous?" His black eyes bored into mine, pleading that I would give in to his power._

"YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!" I woke with a start screaming as I suddenly sat up in my bed. I blinked a few times, trying to rid myself of the nightmare that clung to me. The same nightmare that haunted me for the last six years, tormenting me every night. I seriously began to doubt that my words were true. If he had no power over me, why couldn't I rid myself of him? I glanced at the wooden clock hanging on my bare bedroom wall. 1:45 AM. Seemed fitting that the Goblin King would wake me at the exact moment I turned 21. _He didn't wake you Sarah, he's not real._ I told myself the same lie every night to keep my dad and step mother happy. Toby always believed me… He probably still had some memory of the Goblin King kidnapping him somewhere in his subconscious. I jumped at the soft knock at my door.

"Sarah?"

"Go back to bed Toby. I'm okay." I got out of bed and opened the door, finding my eight-year-old little brother clinging to his teddy bear Lancelot. The parents stopped checking on me after I was released from the hospital. Toby always got up to check on me every night, even though he would never admit it.

"Sarah, can you get me a glass of water?" He asked innocently with his big eyes. I never understood why I ever loathed him.

"Sure. I can get you a glass." I smiled at him and lead the way downstairs into the kitchen. The kitchen where my father and step mother betrayed me four years ago.

_"I'm so excited to finally be out of high school!" I twirled about with joy as I gave Ludo, Sir Didymus and Hoggle each a big hug. They always came when I called, and they seemed happy to come, because things were getting worse at the Labyrinth._

_ "Sounds like this high school was an awful place anyways," Hoggle muttered. "Being locked in a room all day with some old person rattling on about nothin' sounds just as bad of a punishment as being dunked into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"_

_ "It surely wasn't as bad as Sir Hoggle says it is, my lady?" Sir Didymus asked from his perch on the counter._

_ "School Bad!" Ludo growled. "Sawah free now."_

_ "No, it is not as bad as being anywhere near the Bog of Eternal Stench." I pinched my nose and made a grotesque face to imitate what we all did when we were there (except for Didymus… who had lost his sense of smell but would deny it until he died)._

_ "Well, you're lucky in any case. The King's been in a down right foul mood ever since you left. And it's gotten worse each day."_

_ "What's he been doing?"_

_ "Sarah… we need to talk to you…"_

_ I turned around to find my family watching me, with a few men in white coats. My friends had disappeared._

_ "We decided it would be in your best interest if you were to stay where people could help you with your hallucinations… They are a terrible influence on Toby," my step mother started._

_ "I saw Hoggle!" Toby squeaked happily._

_ Father just stood there in silence as the men in the coats dragged me away._

_ I still called on my friends in the hospital. They even watched as I received electric shock therapy… they stopped coming when I called after the third round of electricity that ripped through my brain._

I had begun to think I really was just mental, but something in my gut told me everything was real. I think that's what the nightmare's told me every night… Jareth was still there, very dangerous, and very real.

I poured Toby a small glass of water and helped him up so he could sit on the counter. He slowly sipped at his water.

"I still believe you Sarah. I'm sorry your friends don't come anymore… if they came back, maybe you would sleep better." Toby's kicked his dangling feet back and forth.

"Thank you Toby. That means a lot to me." I ruffled his hair affectionately. We sat there awhile, in almost silence. Even though Toby was tired from waking up in the middle of the night, this was when he would always tell me about his day at school or what he was dreaming of before he woke up. I smiled, knowing that even my step-mother wasn't privy to these conversations. After his last story (telling me how the bully in his class was finally caught in the act and sent to timeout) I had to be the one to break the moment. "I'll hope he learned his lesson Toby, but for now we must go back to bed before Mom gets mad at us for getting out of bed."

"It's not fair Sarah," Toby said as I helped him off the counter and into the crook of my arm.

"I know Toby. I know," I sighed as I trudged back up the stairs.

"Tell me again why I can't read that maze book again. Please?" Toby begged as he always did when I would tuck him in.

"Toby, you know that by heart by now." I smiled as he pouted in defiance.

"I forget. Tell me please?"

"Oh all right," I sighed as Toby joyfully plunged under the blankets and scooted over so I could sit on the edge of the bed to begin the tale.

"Once upon a time, a long time ago, the Goblin King fell in love with a spoiled young woman named Sarah who refused to grow up. He loved her so much, that he gave her the ability to wish her annoying little brother away. But, the girl didn't realize that her favorite book, Labyrinth, referred to her. So one night, when the parents had left the house, and the girl was especially frustrated at her little brother for stealing her teddy bear Lancelot, she wished that the child be taken. The Goblin King appeared that very instant and took the child away. Realizing her mistake, the girl ran the Goblin King's Labyrinth to retrieve the boy before he was turned into a goblin. She faced many trials that taught her many life lessons, and she made friends along the way. What were their names again?"

"Hoggle the dwarf, Ludo the rock calling monster, and Sir Didymus the fox knight!" Toby whispered with glee, I could tell he wanted to shout it out, but he knew that if he did our mother would come barging in and wouldn't let me finish telling Toby the story (it happened enough times to where Toby knew to control himself somewhat).

"Yes, that's right. Thank you Toby!" I ruffled his hair again as he clung tighter to Lancelot the bear, looking up at me with wide, anticipating eyes. "With the help of her friends the girl stormed the Goblin City, outmaneuvered the goblin army, and defeated the Goblin King. Once they were safely home, the young woman gave the child the teddy bear Lancelot, because she realized that her little brother was far more important in her heart. The next day she emptied her room, giving her toys to charity or her little brother, because she never wanted to be tempted by material things again. She also hid the Labyrinth book away so no one in her family could find it and accidentally call back the Goblin King."

"And that's why me, or mommy, or daddy, or you can read that book again right? Because you're afraid it'll call back the Goblin King?"

"Yes Toby. Words are a very powerful thing. Remember that. Good night my Prince Charming." With that I kissed his forehead and tucked him in.

After tucking my little brother into bed I grudgingly returned to my room. I forced myself back to sleep, even though I knew what awaited me. I wish I could see my friends again.

_"I can arrange that Sarah."_

_ "Last time I took your offer you made my life a living Hell! I'm still paying for the consequences…"_

_ "But look at what I'm offering you Sarah…" Jareth flashed me his devilish smile as he held out a crystal ball. "I'm offering you everything… your dreams… your friends…"_

_ I was so desperate to see them again. I wanted to look into that glass sphere so badly, to forget my boring life and be happy just to be me again._

_ "I can take you away from here Sarah…"_

_ "No. I can't leave behind my family!" I swatted the ball out of his hand, making fall to the ground. Jareth's usually charming face contorted into a visage of rage as the glass shattered on the stone around our feet._

_ "Don't defy me Sarah! You know what I can do!"_

_ "YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!" I screamed, hoping I would wake up again._

_ "Don't I Sarah?" He laughed, exposing his overly white, and somewhat sharp teeth. "Things have changed around here since you left… What makes you think I still don't have any power over you? How is it, that I can have these wonderfully stimulating chats with you every night? Hmm?"_

_ "No… You're lying!"_

_ Then the Goblin King started to laugh. His cruel cackling became so loud that the stone underneath my feet shattered. I was falling, his laughter ringing forever in my ears._


	2. Chapter 2

I woke with a jolt as the latest popular pop song came blaring from my radio alarm. I closed my eyes for a moment, just so I could feel what it would be like to sleep without Jareth being on the other side of my eyelids. I wish I could dawdle with my eyes closed like that, resting while wide awake all day, but things had to be done. I opened my eyes and crawled out of bed to get ready for work.

Work… the bane of my existence… Before I had so rudely been abducted by the loony bin I was getting ready to pack up my things to go to NYU to study acting and theatre. Now no college would take me, and the only job I could get was re-shelving books at the library because of the permanent label of "crazy-schitzo" everyone put on me due to my three year stay at the mental hospital. Thank you Mom and Dad for making it so I can never support myself financially. I seriously thought about stripping as a vocation for a while. At least then I would make enough money to move out and possibly support Toby if anything happened to the parents. I hope I don't screw over my children this badly (if I ever have kids).

I shoved a snickers bar and my sketch book into my backpack before I hopped onto my bike and headed for the library. I hardly had an appetite for breakfast anymore… The parents filled it with more awkward silence then our awkward silent family dinners.

The day went the same as all the other days. I pushed around a cart full of books until I shelved all of them, then I got a new cart full of books and repeated. Biography, biography, biography, wheel over to fiction section, fiction, fiction, wheel over to non-fiction section, science, cliff notes, cliff notes, cliff notes, cliff notes, how-to, how-to, blaah, blaah, blaah, go back, refill cart, repeat.

My lunch break consisted of my snickers bar and doodling in my sketchbook. I had multiple sketchbooks full of images from my adventure in Labyrinth. Full of my friends, obstacles, Jareth (in both his human and barn owl form), and me in my dress… that wonderful shimmering silver cream ball gown Jareth put me in for his masquerade. I made some modifications to it when I drew it, but only to the sleeves (I did detest those puffy marshmallows trying to pass of as sleeves…). I let the short sleeves hang off the shoulders, showing off more of my skin in my drawings.

"I wish I could wear that dress again…" I sighed as I glanced up at the clock. Lunch break was over and I returned to my endless cycle of cart pushing and book shelving.

I returned home, noticing my backpack was suddenly lighter. I dug for my keys and immediately noticed what was missing. My sketch book. I knew I had packed it at the end of my lunch break… something wasn't right. I fumbled with my keys and swung the door open to find _him_ on the living room couch… wearing a black tee-shirt and jeans…chatting with both my parents… flipping through my sketchbook. He looked up, seemingly surprised to see me.

"Sarah! It's so good to see you!" Jareth flashed a smile… it probably seemed warm and inviting to my parents, but it was all too cold and calculating. "We were just enjoying your drawings… it seems you have a fascination with barn owls… but I like this one the best." Jareth held up my sketchbook on the page where I drew us dancing at his masquerade ball. My face burned with embarrassment as I slammed the front door behind me, stormed over and snatched the book from Jareth's claws.

"Get out of my house!"

"Sarah! That's no way to treat your boyfriend!" my step mother gawked.

"He's not my boyfriend! He's one of the _hallucinations_ you threw me in the loony bin for!"

"He's not a hallucination if everyone can see him. Besides, he's such a nice young man. I'm terribly sorry about Sarah's behavior…" My stepmother paused, as if she was struggling to remember his name.

"Jareth. My name is Jareth. No need to apologize. I'm quite enjoying my little visit."

"Oh! You're Jareth. Sarah talks an awful lot about you."

I wanted to slam my head into the wall out of frustration. I'd been telling them for years it was all real and they still didn't believe me even when the villain was sitting right in front of them.

"Jareth, can you please leave? No one called you, and no one wants you here."

"Oh I'm terribly sorry Sarah, but your… parents were kind enough to invite me to stay for dinner. They were delighted to let me stay after they tried some of the fruit I brought them." He smiled his devil's smile again. Dear God what did he do to my parents?

"He's going to cause me to have another psychotic melt down! Don't you see he's the Goblin King!" I pulled out the only weapon I had to get Jareth kicked out of my house: the crazy card.

"What are you talking about Sarah? You've never had a psychotic melt down in your life and…." she paused, trying to remember his name again, but decided she would continue on anyways. "And this young man is far too polite and generous to be… to be… whatever you just called him. He gave us a basket with some of the best apples and peaches your father or I have ever tasted!"

I spun around and glared at Jareth. He made them forget everything I had ever mentioned about the Labyrinth, and the fact that they had me institutionalized. What was he up to?

"Did Toby have any of the fruit?" I asked, suddenly panicked. I grasped the Goblin King by the scruff of his t-shirt, ready to shake the answer out of him. But his eyes flickered with a dangerous light, and I immediately let go, now afraid that I had angered him with my action.

"No Sarah. He didn't touch any of it. He ran straight to his room as soon as he saw me."

I ran up the stairs, too frustrated to reply. I quickly showered and changed into clothes I could easily move in, but were tough enough to survive the obstacles of the Labyrinth. I didn't trust Jareth being here for no reason. He was planning to get me back into his clutches… I glanced back at Toby's room. Would he take Toby again? No. I didn't wish for him to be taken… I did wish for that dress… is that what brought the Goblin King back?

I knocked at Toby's door. No answer.

"Toby? It's me Sarah."

The door opened a crack and I pushed my way in, closing the door behind me and embracing Toby like I would never let him go.

"It's him isn't it?" His voice was soft, but filled with something akin to defiance.

"Yes, it's the Goblin King, but no one called him this time," I replied, feeling tears of anger and fear rise to my eyes. No, I couldn't cry in front of Toby. Not at a time like this.

"Is he going to take me away again?"

"No. I will not let him. Not again."

Dinner was terrible. Worse than the normal awkward family silence I was used too. Toby and I remained silent while Jareth chatted up my parents. Toby kept glancing at me. I kept trying to give him a comforting grin that said, 'don't worry, everything will be fine,' but I could tell I wasn't convincing him. Jareth kept looking over me, flashing his pointed teeth at me like he had me right where he wanted me, or like he owned me. It sent chills down my back. After everyone was finished with their food, that's when the Goblin King decided he was going to make his move.

"Well Sarah, as much I enjoyed playing pretend with your parents for their sake, it is time to get down to business." Jareth stood, and his tee-shirt and jeans melted into his normal Goblin King regalia: grey tights that hugged him in all the right places, a flowing cream shirt that left part of his chest exposed, showing off his golden crescent pendent he always wore and of course one of his extravagant capes. "I have a preposition for you Sarah…"

With a wave of his hand he threw one of his crystal balls at my parents, and they were suddenly trapped in a cage (who didn't really seem to notice, as they were still under the spell from the fruit), and he had a frightened Toby by the wrist, who started kicking, clawing, scratching, whatever he could do to get away.

"What do you want Goblin King? I did not call you, and I did not wish for you to do anything for me," I answered as calmly as I could. I slowly rose from my chair, deathly frightened of his next move.

"Oh Sarah! Do you really think I exist to merely serve you and your girlish whims? I came here of my own accord…" He glanced at my parents, who were now poking the bars of their cage and laughing uncontrollably.

"Well, are you going to get to the point or am I going to die of old age first?"

"At first I wanted to come here to punish your parents for putting you in that horrible institution, but while I was sending one of the goblins that disobeyed me to the Bog of Eternal Stench, I realized I needed something more… I needed an heir…" the Goblin King smiled down at Toby.

"NO!" Toby screamed and renewed his vigorous kicking, swinging and even biting. The Goblin King didn't flinch. I could help but wonder if his bravado was just an act, if he was using magic to protect himself, or if he naturally was that powerful.

"You are not going to take Toby again!" I took a step forward, but I went no further, afraid that Jareth would whisk Toby away before I could reach him.

"I didn't come for Toby… although he would have made an excellent goblin…" Jareth's dark eyes suddenly looked into my own with extreme pleasure. "I came for you. You are going to be my queen Sarah… and if you refuse, I will take the child instead."

"You bastard!" I shouted at him with defiance, but I sank to my knees in defeat.

"Do we have a deal Sarah?"

I didn't care that I would never see my step mother again. I was trying to imagine a world without my father or Toby… never seeing them again would be impossible.

"I will accept these terms only if I get to come back to spend time with my family on Toby's birthday, and if you promise you will never come back to this world unless I call you."

"That's not part of my deal Sarah… if you wish to squabble over details, I will simply take Toby." Jareth turned and headed for the front door, which suddenly burst open, revealing the same maze-covered landscape I saw outside my parent's balcony all those years ago. Toby dug his feet into the floor and screamed bloody murder.

"NO! SARAH! YOU PROMISED HE WOULDN'T TAKE ME AGAIN!" Tears started running down Toby's face as he tried to pull himself out of Jareth's claws.

"WAIT! I'LL GO WITH YOU!" I quickly got to my feet and scrambled after him. I tripped on the rug, and my face hit the hard wood floor, but I kept going until my nose was a centimeter away from his tall black boots. It sickened me that I was groveling at his feet like a beaten dog, but I couldn't let him take Toby again. "We have a deal, just leave Toby here."

"Then let us depart." Jareth grasped my upper arm and helped me up. I looked back at my family, my parents now out of their cage, looking around the room as if they didn't remember how they got there, and Toby sitting defeated on the ground, beginning to realize he would never see me again.

"Sarah! Don't let him take you!" he cried as he struggled to get to his feet and chase after me.

"I love you…" I whispered as tears started to roll down my cheeks. We walked through the front door and I quickly turned to face the Labyrinth ahead of me, because I couldn't bear to look at Toby's frightened face any more, and knew that Jareth already closed the connection to my world.


	3. Chapter 3

So this is what it felt like to have your heart broken into fine powder and tossed into the wind. I would have collapsed to the ground sobbing if the Goblin King had not had such a strong, supporting grasp on my arm. It didn't hurt me, however… it was almost as if he was urging me to be strong, knowing that it would be the old Sarah that threw crying fits in the dirt. I don't know why I felt he was communicating this to me with just his simple, reassuring grip.

"So Sarah, would you care to give my Labyrinth another go since it was… how did you put it? 'A piece of cake' I believe?" he asked teasingly once he sensed I had some-what gained control over my emotions.

"While I do love your labyrinth, I'm not up for the challenge of it today." I didn't bother trying to hide the sarcasm in my voice, and knew it was most likely not wise to be short tempered with the Goblin King, but I was in no mood to put up with his games right now. I wiped away the tears still on my cheeks with my sleeve, not wanting to show anymore weakness in front of Jareth now that we were in his world. "Can you please just do whatever magic thing you do that can transport us directly to the castle?"

"Oh Sarah, why so bitter? You know I only give you what you wish for… you came here on your own will…" Curse Jareth's horridly, haunted, perfect smile!

"You call blackmailing me and forcing me to go with you as willing?" I tore my arm from his clutches and stormed toward the entrance of the labyrinth. He knew damn well why I was bitter!

"I do believe that a few moments ago you were literally groveling at my feet begging me to take you with me… Besides," Jareth appeared in front of me, twirling one of his crystal balls in his hands, "you know I cannot do anything against your will…" The scenery around us melted like a Van Gogh painting, and was replaced with the goblin throne room, which was surprisingly empty. I wanted to scream. All his lies, all his deceit, all his treachery, just so he could trick me into giving consent for what he wanted!

"It's not f -" I stopped. I had never even thought of that sentence, let alone udder those words out loud, for six years. Why did he have to drive me to the point of whining like a child again? I turned from him, fighting back new tears of frustration and sadness.

"Fair? It's not fair, Sarah? You do say that an awful lot. It's especially odd, considering I treat you with more fairness than those sniveling humans you threw you into the loony bin because they were too lazy to accommodate to your…" Jareth's arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me in close, his lips brushing against my cheek, sending chills down my spine, "needs…"

I tried pushing him away, but he held me close, dragging gloved fingers gently over my eyes, wiping away what would have soon become new waterworks streaming down my face. After he was satisfied that no more water would spring from my eyes, he leaned in. I could feel him smelling my hair. The more I struggled to put distance between us, the firmer his unwanted embrace became. I closed my eyes (even though I couldn't really see past his insane amount of silky, pale-blonde hair anyways), and stopped struggling. I sincerely hoped that my eternity here wasn't going to be an endless skirmish until I eventually gave in… is this what my Hell would be once I died?

"Let me show you to your chambers…" Jareth's entire being beamed with the confidence over my second submission to him in less than a fifteen minute time span. He finally pulled away from me, but his hand remained forcefully intertwined with mine as he began to lead me through the castle. He took me up the same steps I had charged up to find Toby in a room of topsy-turvy stairwells. This time there was nothing at the top of the stairwell except for a rather small niche that had two doors. I sighed, knowing that I would all too soon be frustrated with trying to keep track of the changing corridors. "The door on the left is your chambers, the one on the right is my chambers…but there is a door between our chambers inside if you care to _visit_ in the middle of the night."

The heavy wooden door seemed light under Jareth's touch. I tried not to gawk at the splendor of what the Goblin King degreed my room. I cautiously treaded upon the smooth, dark mahogany floors, afraid that my tennis shoes would scuff the beautiful wood. I stopped near the maroon-curtained and blanketed bed trimmed with golden embroidery. I didn't see how Jareth made it across the room to stand next to the colossal, hand-carved bureau. He opened it to reveal an enormous selection of elaborately gorgeous dresses, some more extravagant than others. I recognized one of them as _the_ dress… the one I had wished only this morning that I could wear again. I normally could find the words to express myself, but at that moment I found it hard to find the words to express my feelings.

"Since you are to be my queen, I cannot allow you to wear those rags so I provided you with a new wardrobe… If you wish to explore the labyrinth, you will be provided with romping clothing as well as be required to have a guide with you at all times."

"Uh… Thank you," was all I managed to sputter out. Wait… why was he showing such generosity? If he needed my only to produce him an heir why go through all the trouble of arranging these commendations? Why was I so suddenly worrying over becoming his bride when I still was fretting over my separation from Toby?

"Now if you do not require anything more, I have some business to attend to."

"Wait! Can you-" No! That would not be the right question… "Will you answer my questions before you go?"

"That, Sarah, would depend on the questions." Jareth smiled. He seemed extremely more confident and bold now that he had seen that the room pleased me. His confidence was infuriating.

"If you decided that I was going to be your queen years ago, why wait to bring me until now? And what sort of arrangement are we talking about? What do I have to do if I marry you?"

"Well," Jareth calmly sauntered over to the door of my new room, twirling and twisting a crystal ball in his hands, "I had to wait until you were of age to marry you, and _when_ you marry me… I will expect the same offer I asked of you before. But you already knew that." Jareth started laughing as he tossed me the crystal ball and whisked himself out of the room. I looked inside the crystal, hoping I was wrong about the deal he wanted.

_I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have everything you want._

_Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave._

Curse those horrid words the day they left his lips! I threw the shimmering orb out of the window and hurled myself onto the bed. I rolled over onto my back, my eyes absently gazing at the red canopy above me as I mulled over his words. Why did I have to submit to him in order for him to be my 'slave'? It didn't make any sense! I decided I was too tired and emotionally strained to figure out his riddles. I let my eyes close, and for the first time in six years, I was not afraid of what was lingering behind my eyelids.


	4. Chapter 4

**Jareth**

Jareth stormed to his throne room, which was still eerily empty, and paced. She was such a stubborn girl! If she didn't fight him so much, he wouldn't even have to consider _the other option_! The other option… the option he had to use on so many other girls after all the other weddings… they had loved him easily enough (they loved him for his power and for all that he provided them), but they couldn't break the curse on his land. Even all the children he kidnapped and turned into his goblin minions couldn't keep the land alive for long. Jareth sighed and perched on the windowsill overlooking his beloved, but dying Labyrinth. He wanted the cycle to end…

"Your majesty, we have guards posted all across the city like you asked," one of Jareth's many goblin underlings said.

Jareth frowned. For a peasant to sneak up on him like that… that must mean that the curse was progressing faster than he thought. "Good. Now send a small task force to retrieve the Dwarf… If he resists tell him that you are bringing him to Sarah. Understand?" Jareth then shot the goblin a cold glare to deter from any more unwanted interruptions.

"Right away your majesty!" The goblin quickly bowed and scurried away, wanting to carry out his duties lest the King turned his famously foul mood on him.

Jareth the Goblin King sat on his windowsill, knowing that Sarah had to be the one to bring life back to his dying land, because if he had to resort to _the other option_, he would die of a broken heart and Labyrinth would die with him.

**Sarah**

I awoke with a start. How long had I been asleep? There was no way of telling the time in this place. I went over to the window and leaned against the windowsill. The sun was just peeking over the labyrinth, greeting everything with a promise of a new day. I rubbed my eyes and found myself surprisingly refreshed. I immediately realized I didn't have nightmares of any sort, no dreams for that matter. It was just like how I wished I could sleep without Jareth being there. Jareth. He said he brought me here to become his wife and to produce an heir, begging me to submit to him... I had to be missing something. I looked out over the Labyrinth, and at first glance it seemed to be the same magical place it had been when I last visited, but something was off… it was too… still. There had to be something more… something wasn't right here, and I couldn't put my finger on it. Something was different about the Labyrinth, but what?

"Get your dirty claws off me!"

I whipped around to find Hoggle swatting against one of the goblin guards that held him. "Let him go!" It was a little disconcerting that the goblins immediately heeded my command, as if I was to be feared as much as the Goblin King.

"Filthy goblins don't know when to keep to themselves…" Hoggle waved a fist as the goblin guard departed.

"Oh Hoggle!" I exclaimed as I fell to my knees and hugged him.

"Now stop that! Remember last time you did that? Jareth nearly put both of us in the Bog of Eternal Stench!" Hoggle pushed me away in vain. I smiled as his short arms strained to separate us.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so excited to see you." I stood and took a slight step back, much to the relief of my friend.

"So glad that you are at least happy to see _someone_ around here," the Goblin King sneered as he purposefully moved between us to keep me from showing anymore affection to the dwarf. How did he always manage to appear at exactly the right moment to spoil everything? "Hogbrain here-"

"Hoggle" dwarf and I both answered.

"Whatever. Hogwart here is going to be your guide if you decide to explore the labyrinth since you seem to…" Jareth gripped the crop he had in his hands tightly as he nearly bent it to its breaking point. "…enjoy his company more than mine."

"Thank you Jareth," I replied. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate all this." _Given the circumstances I suppose_, I added silently to myself. Having Jareth take my feelings into consideration was unusually generous… _'Everything I have done has been generous! Everything I've done I've done for you!' _I refrained from shaking my head as his words echoed through my mind. He was watching me intently, as if he didn't believe that I had just thanked him.

"Very well…Now for your instructions, dwarf." The Goblin King released the end of his crop which made it snap the air. He pointed it, and very purposefully dug the tip of his crop directly into Hoggle's chest as he advanced toward the dwarf until poor Hoggle was backed up against the stone wall. "If one single hair on her gets harmed I will deal out a punishment so heinous that you will be begging me to put you in the Bog instead. Understood?"

"Ye-yes your majesty." Hoggle sputtered as he tried to keep his knees quivering from fear, and his head nodded with vigor.

"Jareth, is it really necessary to threaten my friends?" I asked as I moved between Jareth and Hoggle, swatting the crop away from Hoggle's direction. After a good night's sleep I was more willing to push Jareth's boundaries, although I still didn't feel up for a full confrontation quite yet.

Jareth stepped closer to me and twirled a finger in my hair, in a seemingly better mood after my most recent acknowledgment of his generosity. "Well, I've had to deal out harsher punishments because of a small revolt led against me by your friends as a result of what they thought was your victory over me. Luckily they were no match for me and I was generous enough to let them live because of your fondness for them."

"I'll be sure there will be no revolts this time around. I'll see you when I get back." I took Hoggle by the hand and started to drag him out the door, when Jareth appeared in front of me again.

"Wait. I have a gift for you." He twisted one of his crystal balls in his hands and threw it at me. I caught a small leather satchel. "It will give you what you need when you need it."

"Thank you again." I pushed past him and fled with Hoggle down the stairs.

"Be back in time for dinner if you don't want me to hunt you down! And be sure to throw away those rags you've got on before I see you again, or I'll take them off for you!" The Goblin King's laughter rang through the halls. I turned around to give him a bitter retort, but he had already vanished.

I just wanted a few hours outside the stone walls and to be away from my tormentor. I needed to try and think clearly so I could figure out what was off about the labyrinth… it would keep my mind off of Toby and his frightened face for the time being.

"So what'd you do _this_ time to warrant the King bringin' you back here?" Hoggle asked. We past the city gates, where the dozing guards sleepily stood at attention as I passed.

"Mornin' Majesty…" the goblin guards yawned. I didn't know who they were talking to, and I didn't really want to question it, because I was afraid of the answer.

"MAJESTY? MAJESTY! Do you even realize what you've got yourself into this time?" Hoggle screeched as I weaved us in between the trash piles. I didn't want to stop until we reached the forest. I tightened my grip on Hoggle's wrist, not at all annoyed that our progress was slowed by his short legs. I could never be truly mad at Hoggle. We reached the bottom of the hill on which the forest rested. This is where I slowed to a walk, dragging both of us up the hill, my thighs straining as much as my heart was with my conflicting emotions. Once we reached the edge of the forest Hoggle very forcefully tried to shake himself from my grasp. I let go of him and fell to the ground, my butt landing hard on the leave and dirt floor of the forest.

"Sarah! Do you know what you've gotten yourself into?"

"Yes. No. I don't know!" I cried, my hands cradling my head. "All I know is that I promised to marry Jareth so he wouldn't take Toby."

"Oh Sarah…" Hoggle stood next to me, him now looking down on me for once. "You sacrificed everything you love to protect everything you love?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." His words didn't fit with his normal speech. It was like he was quoting something.

"Sarah. You've gotten yourself into quite a pickle this time. I don't think he'll do to you like he did with his other brides, which means the land is in more danger than before." Hoggle slumped into sitting cross-legged in front of me. I felt a slight pang hit my heart.

"Other brides? Labyrinth in danger?" I wasn't sure that I could handle what I was going to make Hoggle tell me. "Hoggle. Tell me what the hell is going on here."

"Sarah. Labyrinth is dying and Jareth kills his brides in order to keep it alive."


	5. Chapter 5

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE KILLS HIS BRIDES?" I practically screamed.

"I told you that you got yourself into trouble again Sarah. I'm sorry." Hoggle looked down at the forest floor.

"Hoggle, you aren't answering my question. Why does he kill his brides? Why the hell does he have brides to begin with?"

"The Land is cursed. The Labyrinth is constantly dying. When it starts to die Jareth either has to kidnap children and turn them into goblins, or he has to marry and kill his bride on the wedding night. Both options give life back to the land, but the latter option makes it last longer. If Jareth chose you as his next bride, he must want to break the curse."

"Why won't don't you think he'll kill me?"

"Sarah!" Hoggle exclaimed, annoyance laden in his voice. "I swear nothin' stays up in that head of yours! He loves you, don't you remember that? Isn't that the whole reason why your child got taken to begin with?"

"Well, I remember that. Why would that stop him from killing me? It certainly didn't stop him from putting me in danger before." I rubbed my fingers into the sides of my temple. This was too much to take in too soon.

"If you die, he'll die of a broken heart." There was bitterness in Hoggle's voice.

"Ha! Would that be such a bad thing?" I was darkly pleased at the fact he would die if I died… I wasn't quite sure if it was because of my spite for him, or because of something else I couldn't name at the moment.

"You always ask the wrong questions," Hoggle muttered. "If Jareth dies, Labyrinth and everyone in Labyrinth dies. They are connected. Jareth is Labyrinth, and the Labyrinth is Jareth. They are separate entities but are one and the same. Doubt you could wrap your head around it." Hoggle crossed his arms.

"That's why no one has been able to overthrow him, and why he has so much power over everything here. What makes him think that I can break the curse? How do I break the curse?"

"The answer to either of those questions only Jareth knows."

"Maybe later." I didn't particularly wish to see Jareth again for a while. "Hoggle, where are Sir Didymus and Ludo?"

"They live in the forest portion of the maze. Ludo hardly ever goes outside anymore because he's too scared of the forest. Come on, I'll show you." Hoggle leaned forward and rolled onto his feet. I followed suit, and we remained silent.

How was I going to break a curse on Labyrinth? I loved this place with all of my heart (as much as I loved Toby), and would do almost anything for it, but I didn't know where to start. Was becoming Jareth's bride really worth it, even if I could somehow pull off miracle solution? If Labyrinth died, then everyone would die with it, which meant that I wouldn't get to see Toby again… if I solved this, maybe I could convince a grateful Jareth into visiting Toby every once in a while.

"Chhhiiillllllly ddddooooooooooowwwwwnnnnnn"

Hoggle and I paused at the hoarse, nail on chalkboard voice.

"Heeeeey….iiiissss tthha llladdy…"

"Weeee ssttilll nnnnnneeeeeeddd too ttttteaaaaaaaach hhheeer nnnnnnnnnnoooot to ttttthhhrrrroooow ooooouuuuurrrr heeeeaaads"

"yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeessssss…"

The syllables all dragged out that I could barely understand them. Hoggle started running and I quickly trailed behind him, the alarm bells in my head ringing.

" "

Suddenly a Firey leapt in front of us, but it wasn't the party, dance loving Fireys I ran from so long ago. The once bright oranges, reds, and yellows that made up the flowing fur were faded, the teeth in the mouth were more crooked and jagged, and those once lively shining eyes had also dulled into a red-grey, staring past us at the same time it looked at us. The whole group soon emerged from their hiding places. They were like something from the land of nightmares, hobbling toward us, enclosing the circle and leaving no room for escape. When I had met them last time, they were playful in their actions, but these Fireys emitted nothing but an endless hunger and danger in their movements, their limbs hanging brokenly beside them. Is this what a dying Labyrinth did to its inhabitants?

The Fireys clacked their claws together, tongues lolling out of their mouths with drool starting to string towards the ground. I glanced around, looking for anything to fight off our attackers from making a meal out of us. I spotted a good-size branch by Hoggle's feet. I picked it up with both hands and began to wield it like broadsword as I swung at the Fireys. They jumped back when I swung at them, but I knew it wouldn't last us forever.

"Hoggle, what did the other brides do to try to break the curse?" I asked, constantly swiveling my head to keep an eye on all the sickly Fireys.

"You sure do have a knack for timing!" Hoggle growled as he ducked away from a Firey's claws.

"JUST TELL ME!" I swung at another Firey, but they weren't backing up as far now.

"They didn't do nothin'! They never set foot into the Labyrinth! They just sat up in the castle and threw themselves into all of Jareth's gifts!"

My eyes flashed to the leather satchel that hung by my waist. Jareth said it would give me what I need, when I need it, right? Well right now I needed a way for Hoggle and I to escape. My hand dove into the bag, and My hand clamped down on what felt like sand. Sand? How did this bag think that I needed sand at a time like this? I pulled my hand out of the bag and tossed the sand angrily onto the ground.

POP FFFUUUMME! The sand instantly combusted as it hit the forest floor, and everyone jumped away from it, including the Fireys. Where I had dropped the sand stood a fire that didn't seem to spread to the other dead foliage around it, only alive where I had dropped the sand. I glanced at the Fireys, who were advancing on us again, but their eyes strayed to the fire, as if it was something familiar to them, but they couldn't quite place it.

I dropped the branch I was wielding to the ground and stuck my hands into the leather sac to pull out two drum sticks and a sheet of paper. I quickly unrolled the paper to find lyrics of some sort. Wait… I quickly scanned the first few stanzas. These were the words to the song that the Fireys sang when I first met them. Did I have to make them remember? Well, it's what the bag gave me, and it was truly the only idea I could think of.

TAPTAPTAP! I banged the drum sticks together.

The Fireys answered with a CLAP.

"_When the sun goes down_," I sang. I was surprised how easily the melody came back to me.

"Ssssuuunnn gggoooes dddooown," the Fireys called back

TAPTAPTAP!

"_And the bats are back to bed_."

"_Baaaatts are baaack_."

The change was slowly showing itself. Their words grew shorter and more clear, their fur started to slowly glow with its original bright colors, and their eyes grew steadily more clear and lively.

"_The brothers come 'round…. I get out of my dirty bed…. I shake my pretty little head… Tap my pretty little feet…_" I continued, glancing at the paper to make sure I was getting the words right.

"_Louder than thunder_,"

"_Bouncing like a yo-yo_," two of the lesser Fireys joined in singing.

"_Don't got no problems. Ain't got no suitcase. Ain't got no clothes to worry about. Ain't got no . I just throw in my hand_," the lead Firey claimed his part, tossing in his hand to the fire and magically producing a new one. It mimicked what I saw the first time I ran into the Fireys. "_With the chilliest bunch in the land_."

TAPTAPTAP

"_They don't look much_,"

"_They sure chilly chilly_."

"_They positively glow, glow_."

I handed the drum sticks to one of the lesser Fireys that was eager to take them from me.

"_Chilly down with the fire gang_!" They all broke out into the chorus, dancing around the fire. They were back.

I silently motioned to Hoggle to leave while they were still occupied. I still remembered how they tried to take off my head even when they were in a good mood. Hoggle nodded and we both tip-toed away from the fire and the Fireys. We didn't dare break out into a run until we couldn't see the light from the fire anymore.

"Aw man, snake eyes again!" I heard far off distance, followed by incessant laughter.

"Faster Hoggle, before they notice we're gone!" I whispered as soft as I could. Hoggle frowned at me, as if he was already aware of my message. It seemed like we had run all the way through the Labyrinth my legs were burning so bad. We ran until my legs gave out, and my lungs were burning from lack of air. Hoggle was somewhat winded, but he looked like he could have gone further. _I'm __**so**__ out of shape if I can't run as far as a dwarf can_.

"We're almost there Sarah. We'll be safe once we get to Ludo's and Didymus' house."

I nodded as I gasped for breath. I pulled myself back to my feet and stumbled behind Hoggle. My shaking legs in combination with my lead feet just made me trip over the first root.

"Well, you're just as much of a mess as the first time I saw ya. Maybe even worse." Hoggle's gruff voice somehow still made it to my ear, even though my head was buried in the bush I fell into. He's right… I am a mess. This is when I remember the relief I felt after finally making it home after my last visit. The Labyrinth always made a mess of me, if I was prepared for it or not. I hope that would wear off.

I pushed myself out of the foliage and roll over onto the path, my back against the soft dirt and leaves. I closed my eyes as I try to bring my ragged breathing back under control. I hear Hoggle try to hold back a gasp at the sudden ominous presence I feel. I don't even bother opening my eyes.

"Have you had your share of fun already?" Jareth's attempt at teasing does not amuse me.


	6. Chapter 6

"I thought our next meeting would be this evening," I said, my voice laden with bitterness. It was hard to form the sentence due to my lungs trying to gasp for air, but I made sure my voice was steady. I continued to lie on the ground. I wanted to look like I had decided to rest of my own volition, not because I was a lousy runner and had not gotten any decent exercise for at least four years. I put my hands behind my head for added affect.

"Yes, I suppose… I just felt a change in this area of my Labyrinth… and what do I find?"

I opened my eyes, and saw Jareth towering over me, grinning his devilishly crooked grin. I could tell I wasn't fooling him with this 'just resting' act. I sighed and slowly pulled myself into a sitting position.

"I found that the Fireys were acting like themselves again…"

"So? Just because something changes in your Labyrinth means that you have to annoy me with unwanted visits?"

Jareth's eyes grew cold at my words. Where he'd been pleased by my submission the day before and this morning, he clearly did not enjoy the return of my disregard for obedience. I felt Hoggle take a step back. If I had to guess, it was because he wanted to get a head start if the Goblin King decided to lash out. Jareth's smile waivered a little bit, but it stayed on his face. Which was a good sign… right?

"I came to congratulate you on your success… on being the first to even take the first step into breaking the curse…" Jareth's grip tightened on his crop, his leather gloves protested at the action. I was walking on dangerous territory, but I really didn't even want to go near the subject of the curse right now.

"I don't give a damn about your curse right now! If you really want to bother me constantly, at least take the form of something that won't annoy the shit out of me while I visit my friends!" I stood up and stomped away from the Goblin King. Once I reached Hoggle I grasped the dwarf's hand, interlacing my fingers with his. I hope Jareth saw that, and knew he would never get that privilege.

"Oh Sarah…" I heard the Goblin King laugh beneath his breath before he suddenly fell quiet. I kept walking, and poor Hoggle stayed as silent as he could, hoping the Goblin King wouldn't take my brash behavior out on him.

Suddenly I felt talons digging into my skin as a barn owl settled onto my shoulder. Son of a Bitch. I craned my neck to look at the owl in its heart-shaped face. Even in this form Jareth looked smug.

"At least you look a hell of a lot better," I muttered.

The barn owl screeched into my ear and dug its claws into my shoulder, drawing blood. _You can only push me so far Sarah! _The Goblin King's anger rang through my head as a high-pitched ringing replaced the sound in the ear that he screeched into.

I was torn between insulting him further or ignoring him. Right now I really wanted to insult him further, but the more adult thing to do would be to take the high road.

"You sure do have a knack for pissing him off," Hoggle said. "It's a miracle he didn't dunk us into the bog of Eternal Stench, or thrown us into an oubliette!" Hoggle nodded to the owl on my shoulder. "And that thing just shows up out of the blue for no reason. I don't like it Sarah. I don't like it one bit. If he let you off this easy, then he must be planning some sort of trickery to punish you, and possibly me."

"Don't worry about the owl… the Goblin King gave him to me to keep me company in the castle… he must have sought me out looking for treats…" I couldn't believe how easily I lied to Hoggle. But if he knew that it was Jareth on my shoulder, I don't think Hoggle would be brave enough to stay in my company for long. "As for whatever the Goblin King has planned, it will be my punishment. I won't let him hurt you."

The owl gave an unsatisfied hiss.

"Just keep that thing away from me. I like birds just about as much as I like fairies."

"What was your tally of fairies today?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"I only got about 30 of the buggers before a couple of goblin guards dragged me to the castle. Shame I couldn't get more."

I couldn't help but laugh. I loved Hoggle and his animosity towards the small fairies that were all too ready to bite anybody the first chance they got. "Yes Hoggle, it is a shame. Are we much further from Ludo and Didymus' house?"

"It's a little further. The distance always depends on how much the Labyrinth decides to shift around."

We walked in silence for a while. I eventually let go of Hoggle's hand, which seemed to please Jareth enough to where he stopped watching Hoggle (which made Hoggle more at ease too). Jareth the owl turned his attention to me. His beak preened my hair, which I laughed at. The Goblin King keeping up owl appearances. I wouldn't have believed that his ego would allow such a thing, but here he was. I suddenly remembered how he smelled my hair only seconds after my arrival at the castle, and how he twirled a finger through my hair only this morning. Why did he have such a fascination with my hair?

I glanced at Jareth again, who seemed quite pleased that he was the one who made me smile for a change. His owl beak touched just beneath my ear, near my jaw. Shuddered instantly racked my body. It wasn't an owl beak I felt, it was Jareth's lips pressing against my skin. I whipped my head towards the weight on my shoulder. He was still in his owl form, but his eyes were twinkling with a dark pleasure. His heart-shaped owl face leaned in against my neck. This time I felt his hot breathe followed by the sensation of his wet tongue traveling from my collar bone up towards my ear. I reached towards the owl with my opposite hand, urging him to perch on my hand instead. He scowled at me, but easily complied once he saw how easily he flustered me.

_You will be mine Sarah._

I was very tempted to smack him, and wipe that stupid owl grin off his face. He must have sensed my anger towards him because his fluffed his feathers out and gave a meek little 'hoot' like he was a pet that was asking for attention.

I caught Hoggle watching my strange interaction with my supposed pet owl. I gently ruffled Jareth's feathers around his neck with as much affection as I could muster. The barn owl gave another small hoot of happiness as I started stroking his chest. I got to give Jareth credit for how soft his feathers were. I almost didn't want to stop petting him. But Jareth's eyes gleamed with pleasure at my attention to him, so I quickly put my hand to my side and kept the arm that he was perched on as far away from me as possible.

I touched my neck where I had felt his tongue. It was wet. I quickly took my sleeve and wiped as much of it off as I could.

"Well, here we are," Hoggle said.

I looked up to see a large rock wall standing in our way. I must have been too busy fussing with Jareth to notice our approach to such a strange structure in the middle of the forest. I craned my neck upward. It must have been at least three stories tall, and the boulders it was made up of fit neatly together so no mortar was needed. I couldn't tell how thick it was, and I didn't see any way in.

"It's so big Hoggle. Is the house on the other side of the wall?"

"Didymus! Let us in!" Hoggle shouted at the wall, and chose not to pay attention to answering my ridiculous question.

"Who goes there? I've made a solemn oath that none shall pass without my permission!" a voice called from the top of the wall. I could see the feather in his cap.

"Then may we have your permission Sir Didymus?" I yelled back.

"Sarah? Is that you? Ah yes! I know your smell from anywhere! Brother Ludo! Sarah's here! Let our guests in!"

"Sawah!" A red fuzzy head with horns peeked over the wall. "Sawah back! !" With Ludo's howling the rocks in the wall started to shift, slowly moving toward us to form stairs. I placed Jareth back on my shoulder, wincing at his weight on the injuries he gave me earlier. There was no way in hell I was putting him on my good shoulder.

"You first Hoggle. Didymus probably won't let you in otherwise."

"You don't know the half of it!" Hoggle grunted as he climbed the stairs. I followed; the stairs retreated back into the wall as we climbed. The lower ones disappeared first, and it seemed like the rocks were making sure we were a few steps ahead before sinking back into the wall. Toby would have loved this.

Toby.

My heart sank into my stomach. I was never going to see him again.

Keep climbing the stairs, Sarah. Yes, keep climbing the stairs.

"My lady! You are wounded!"

Wounded? I looked at the shoulder that Jareth's talons pierced. Blotches of crimson and rust colored about a quarter of my long-sleeve white shirt. It didn't matter… Jareth was going to take that away too. I wouldn't have anything left. There was going to be nothing left of me but my shell of a body. I staggered the last couple of steps.

"No it's fine Sir Didymus."

"Sawah hurt?"

"Ludo, I'm fine."

"It was that damn bird," Hoggle muttered.

"I'm fine! I'm just a little tired. Can we sit down?" I sank down to my knees. The Labyrinth always defeated me. I would never win. Not when I didn't have something to fight for. Toby. Ludo's furry strong arms wrapped around me, and carried me into the fortress. Jareth squawked the whole time. His talons were tearing my shoulder apart.

"I'm taking her back to the castle this instant!"

"You shall do no such thing fiend!"

"Ludo protect Sawah!"

I opened my eyes to find all three of my friends were standing between me and the Goblin King, who decided to show up in his normal form again. I looked around. We were in a kitchen. I was slumped against the wall. My shoulder burned.

"I may be a coward, but no one hurts Sarah." Oh Hoggle. I underestimated your bravery!

"Guys, I'm fine," I whispered.

"Sarah!" all four exclaimed.

"My lady, we thought that you had passed out from your blood loss! The Goblin King revealed himself as soon as Ludo carried you in here! We were just about to fight him to the death!"

"No need Sir Didymus, although I do appreciate the offer. I don't think I passed out from blood loss... I think my body just gave out… with all the running from Fireys, not having food or water for a day, trying to figure out riddles people keep throwing at me, and having lost so much…" I found myself looking out the window.

"What do you mean, fair lady?"

"She's going to be the King's next bride," Hoggle answered.

"No. No Sawah no."

I didn't want to deal with any of this right now. I used the wall to push myself to my feet. I absently reached into the leather sack at my waist and pulled out a piece of paper. "Punch him," it said. I was suddenly filled with the rage I couldn't feel yesterday. How dare he take me away from Toby! How dare he marry me and kill me off as a human sacrifice. I staggered past my friends, and my fist slammed straight into the Goblin King's jaw.


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: NOT AN ACURATE PORTRAYAL OF MENTAL INSITUTIONS/MEDICATIONS! THE SCENE WAS CREATED FOR FICTIONAL PURPOSES!**

The room filled with screaming silence. The shocked silence of my friends at the fact I had actually done what everyone else was too afraid to do. The stunned silence of the Goblin King, who never expected anyone to land a blow on him. My stupefied silence as I tried to comprehend what I just did. My knuckles started to throb and suddenly all I could hear was my heart racing. I just punched the Goblin King in the face. _I had just punched Jareth in the face!_ I was proud of my act of rebellion! That would show him he can't control me!

All of my elation vanished as soon as I saw his eyes. Those dark orbs became the very incarnation of pure rage. _Shit._ He gently placed a gloved hand on my injured shoulder squeezing it. The pain shot through my body bringing me to my knees. I was suddenly tossed onto a glaringly white marble floor. I craned my neck to find myself in what looked like a bathing room with a giant blazing white tub sunk into the floor itself and multiple golden showerheads protruding from the ceiling, as well as various ornamental golden tubes lining one edge of the round tub. My heart did a somersault before keeling over dead. We must be in a bathroom back at the castle. When did he bring us here? I rolled over onto my back, my hand grasping my shoulder and saw him smiling darkly at me. I guess it really didn't matter when he had teleported us.

"Now Sarah, I did tell you that if I saw you again in those rags you call clothing I would personally take the time to remove them myself."

I should have acted my age. I should have picked myself up with as much dignity as I could muster and informed him that I disincline to acquiesce to his request like any other mature 21 year-old female with any brains would do.

I slowly staggered to my feet, with almost no dignity or grace. "Go ahead." I spat at his feet, sending a wad of spit onto his shining black boots. "I dare you."

The Goblin King smiled devilishly as he flicked his hand all his clothes disappeared. I was so distracted by his nudity I don't really recall how he sent me toppling into the marble pit in the floor that I called a "tub," or how the various golden nozzles suddenly started spewing clean water, submerging me in steam and hot water. My feet were sluggish to respond to making contact with the bottom of the pool. Why were they so heavy? Wet shoes… I still had my shoes on. I tried kicking my legs when hands grasped my ankles. My shoes and socks seemed to lift themselves off of me. _Oh Dear God he's actually taking off my clothes._ My liberated feet easily found footing and I pushed off.

I broke the surface of the water with a lot of sputtering, splashing, and gasping for air. My feet rested comfortably on the marble bottom of the floor, as I realized the water level only reached the bottom of my ribcage. I quickly crossed my arms. I didn't like the way my white shirt clung to my breasts… my bra was gone. I began to search for it when Jareth emerged from the water in front of me, his usually fluffy hair now plastered against his head in pale gold stream, swinging my skin-tone bra around like a victory flag. I lunged for it.

He all too skillfully flung it aside and ensnared me. One of his hands caught my wrist, and he brought the other to my collar bone. I struggled and splashed against him, but he stood solid as a statue. I quickly tired, not having much energy in the first place. I panted, my chest heaving up and down. His eyes wandered to my breasts and I quickly used my free arm to cover them up as best as I could. That's when I noticed his nails… or more accurately, very well kept talons. The very clean, white pointed talons on the end of his fingertips. It occurred to me that he always had gloves on, which confused me, because it seems he would want to appear as frightening as possible to his subjects. Although I admit I was more surprised at the fact then being frightened by them.

I looked back up at him with more curiosity then I would have liked, because he grinned, exposing his white pointed teeth again.

"Don't move."

I was about to challenge him when he took his free hand and dragged his nails down my shirt, slicing it open without effort. I tried to keep my body from shuttering as he continued downwards, slicing open my jeans and underwear. My clothes were swallowed up by the water, except for my shirt, which I was still clinging to due to my need of covering my breasts. I tried to pull away from him, but he kept a firm grip on my wrist. I turned so my back was more or less facing him, but in the process the remaining shreds of my shirt fell away. I hunched over, trying to cover as much of my body as I could with one free arm. I tried not to think of a similar situation that one of the male nurses put me through at the hospital. _No Sarah. You promised yourself to never think about that again._ I focused my attention on the slow trickle of blood floating away from my injured shoulder.

Jareth's firm body pressed up against me. Dear God! I forgot he was naked! While the water was warm, his skin burned against mine. Something hard poked against my inner thigh. _God, no! Please! Not like this!_ His free hand ran up and down my waist, coming to rest at my hips. I struggled against him, but he held me in place. He seemed to be aware how to handle his claws, because his nails never even made a scratch in my skin while I fought against his embrace. He forced my body to face me again.

"Come on Sarah… We're both adults here… we know what the other one has. Besides, I saw some of your sketches that made me blush…"

I kept my eyes on the water. Yes, I'll admit before I got admitted to the hospital I had longed for … company-partially due to my raging teenage hormones. Yes, I'll admit that Jareth was better looking than all of the boys that tried to ask me out. Yes, there were drawings of Jareth and me in a lover's embrace in more than one sketchbook of mine… but I stopped drawing those after the hospital. I sank lower into the water as I tried to curl up into more of a ball and pull away from him. Tears formed in my eyes.

"Sarah?" Jareth released his grip on me and gently cradled and lifted my chin so I would look up at him. His dark eyes were filled with concern. I tried to blink back my tears before I dropped my gaze again. The next thing I knew his arms surrounded me in an embrace, and I was being lifted out of the water. As both of my arms were free I used them to cover myself. My head started hanging to one side, heavy. I couldn't lift it. My arms flopped around as I lost control over those limbs as well. The world was spinning.

"Sarah? Sarah, stay with me."

Who's voice was that?

"_Take her back to her room."_

_ I was walking through the halls of the hospital, following the gurney that carried a girl with long dark brown hair in a hospital gown. This is always how the nightmare always starts. _

_ "What is this place?" Jareth is beside me, keeping close to me as we follow my younger version through the halls._

_ "This is the mental hospital my parents put me in," I answered, not questioning his presence. He had always infiltrated my dreams, even though this was the first time he was in this particular one._

_ "Why do you look like a limp doll?"_

_ "They just gave me electric shock therapy… and the muscle relaxants haven't worn off yet." I watched the head of my former self roll gently from side to side. I always wondered if they purposely used the strongest ones on me because I always fought them tooth and nail._

_ "Put her in the straightjacket."_

_ They wheeled the young me into my padded cell. Jareth and I quietly followed. He looked slightly confused, as if he wasn't sure what was going to happen next. I knew… I always know what's going to happen next. They dumped me unceremoniously on the floor. The door slammed behind them, but the male nurse stayed behind. He said it was because he wanted to make sure I recovered alright. But I knew different. All the girls in the ward knew. All the female nurses loved him. That's because he always treated them with respect. He never laid a finger on them._

_ I stood in the opposite corner and watched. I watched as young Sarah's legs flopped around helplessly as she tried to escape. The male nurse approached, and kneeled beside her, easily parting her legs as her upper body flopped like a fish. She knew what was coming too. The other patients warned her ahead of time. Drool poured out of her mouth as she tried to say "No." The word couldn't come out. He slid his pants down around his ankles, and the young Sarah's upper body started flopping around, hoping it would make the muscle relaxants wear off faster. I turned my back when the male nurse entered her, and punched her in the stomach every time she tried to move. I looked up at Jareth to find his eyes glancing between me and her._

_ "I can make him pay Sarah…" his voice was calm, but filled with a bristling rage. I shook my head._

_ "A couple of months after this incident he was stupid enough to walk into the cafeteria… all the patients jumped him… he never made it out alive." That scene was haunting, but sometimes I regretted not participating in that dark event._

_ "I see. Was… was this the first time a man _touched _you?"_

_ I winced as I heard bubbles of saliva pop behind me as the male nurse delivered another punch into the gut of the young Sarah, his grunting as he kept going._

_ I found myself willingly fall into the Goblin King's chest, burying my head as close to him as possible to try to block out the sounds radiating from behind me. I tried to cover my ears, but it didn't work. As Jareth's arms wrapped around me, the world around us blurred into white, and heavenly silence settled around us._

_ "Sarah, can you answer my question?"_

_ "Yes… the answer to your question is yes… he was the first… and the only one to…to…" I closed my eyes and tried to swallow back tears. Jareth gently placed a hand on my shoulder._

OW!

_Why'd he hurt me? I placed a hand on my shoulder. _

OW! _What the Hell?!_

_ "Sarah. I need you to wake up now." Jareth said as he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. Pain shot through my body as Jareth's features blurred. The last thing I remember is the sensation of falling_.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everybody! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, and sorry because this isn't my best chapter... I've been taking a lot of classes that are keeping me really busy, so I haven't had a lot of spare time. I'm going to try to manage my time better so I'll have more spare time to write! Thank all of you who've stuck with me!**

**Jareth**

Jareth shouldn't have reacted the way he did. He knew he had _slightly_ over-reacted after Sarah punched him, but helping her friends put out her shoulder… after it had quite literally burst into flames just as Sarah passed out… Jareth didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about how his Labyrinth was slowly wearing Sarah down, or how she might end up with the same fate of his other brides, even if it wasn't by his hand. He didn't want to think about how she had blacked out in his arms as he carried her out of the water to her room, or about the horrible memory that played over and over in her unconscious mind afterwards.

Jareth never left Sarah's side except to relief himself, and to take a quick shower when a goblin complimented him on his odor.

At least there were a few more goblins hobbling around the castle, enough to at least get some decent food coming out of the kitchens. Every time Sarah was somewhat conscious, he made sure there was broth at her lips that she could drink. He knew Sarah needed solid food to help her recover faster.

Jareth personally attended to changing Sarah's bandages. Some of the burned skin was sticking to the bandages he had put on the day before. He was trying to remove them as gingerly as he could to keep as much skin on Sarah as possible.

"Sarah. I need you to wake up now." He never wanted anything more than to see Sarah's angry hazel eyes, those same eyes that once looked upon him with adoration.

The child was only three, and Jareth could see why the young mom had that one moment of weakness and wished her away. The child was a spit fire, to be sure. As soon as Jareth whisked her away to his castle she started terrorizing the goblins. Children were generally afraid of the goblins at first, before they slowly accepted them as companions, but not Sarah. She grabbed the sticks right out of the goblins' hands and screamed bloody murder as she chased after them, not stopping until the Goblin King burst into laughter. It was at this point where the child would crawl into his lap, stick her tongue out at the goblins, look up at Jareth with her adoring hazel eyes, and bury her face in his golden hair. That's when he knew he couldn't turn her into a goblin.

Luckily Sarah's mother was quite clever, and used her acting abilities to the fullest to trick his subjects into helping her, and she always knew the right questions to ask. Her mother was the one to set the quickest record for navigating his Labyrinth. Which is how she was able to catch the Goblin King in a rare moment of weakness: softly singing to the child as she fell asleep in his arms, holding her with all the tenderness in the world.

"I wish she could fall asleep like that when I try to put her to bed."

Jareth froze, slowly turning around and straightening himself up to try and command the space like always did, but the new mom saw the heart beneath, and he wasn't going to fool her anymore. He tried to say something threatening, but words couldn't form in his mouth.

"Maybe you should keep her… She's probably happier here then my world."

"No. She has the potential to save this world in her future, but she can't do it if I raise her." The Goblin King gently handed her sleeping Sarah.

"I don't know if I can give her everything she needs."

"That's precisely why you are going to be a great mother. Just stand up for yourself the next time she acts out, an she won't do it again."

He felt guilty about watching Sarah grow up from the shadows. It saddened him as he watched the accident that killed Sarah's mom, and would have killed Sarah too if he hadn't used his magic to heal her mortal wounds. It nearly killed him in the process (as wounds can't disappear into thin air). He felt slightly guilty about sneaking in the Labyrinth book into the mother's possessions, knowing that Sarah would cherish it. He wanted her to know him, and of his love for her… that he'd be willing to wait until she was ready to come to him.

But she didn't. She never wanted to come with him. He always frightened her, or she hated him. That's what he thought until he found her drawing them together at the masquerade ball he created for her.

_This isn't working_, the Goblin King thought to himself, as he managed to take off the rest of Sarah's bandages. The burnt skin wasn't healing, and he doubted that Sarah would wake up if she couldn't heal.

"Since when do I have a heart?" He grumbled to himself as he placed his hand on Sarah's injured shoulder and squeezed softly with his hand. Pain shot up his arm and he stiffened, not willing to show his weakness with an unconscious Sarah.

As the injury transferred to his shoulder, he quietly asked his love to open her hazel eyes, "Sarah, I need you to wake up now."

When she didn't comply, the Goblin King laid down beside her and fell asleep, exhausted from his recent and excessive use of magic.


	9. Chapter 9

**Fun fact: according to my baby name book, "Jareth" is an American name that means "one who is gentle"! If only they knew... Wrote this because I got bored and didn't feel like doing my homework. 3**

**Sarah**

I felt the warmth of a body next to mine, an arm wrapped tenderly around my waist. I brought a hand to my shoulder, remembering the pain that had once been there. My eyes snapped open. There was nothing but smooth skin. I sat up, only to have the arm pull me back down into an embrace. I stiffened, as I slowly rolled over to find the Goblin King next to me, fast asleep. Thank God he was clothed. I was about to try and escape from his grasp when I noticed some dark skin by Jareth's neck. I gingerly lifted his loose collar to find that his shoulder had the talon marks that mine had, with the addition of the skin being charred as if it was set on fire. I touched my shoulder again. Did he transfer my injury to himself? Why would he do that?

I was still gazing at my wounds on his shoulder when I saw the flash of a smile out of the corner of my eye, and a hand removing mine from his shirt, forcing me to drop it back into place.

"Welcome back Sarah. Did you miss me?" His eyes glimmered with desire. I found myself looking into those eyes without complaint. It was the first time I noticed he had one blue eye and one brown. I had always seen them as unforgiving black orbs. How did I not notice it before? "Speechless I see. Well, as much as I would love you to stay in the unclothed state you're in, I need you to be able to get to the dining hall. Unless you'd rather eat here of course."

I looked down to see the bed covers had slipped down to my waist, exposing my all too bare top half. My hands snatched the covers and pulled them up to my shoulders, my arms hugging them close so they wouldn't slip again. I felt the heat rising to my face as the King chuckled at my delayed response.

"I did not invite you to sleep here. Now can you please untangle yourself from me and leave so I get dressed?"

"After having you faint twice in less than twelve hours and blacking out for five days, I'm not leaving your side until I am positive that you are recovered."

"Five days? What got me to wake up?" I asked as I pulled the sheets from their roots, releasing them from the bed so I could be covered on the journey to the bureau across the room. I squirmed to the edge of the bed, stretching my toes out.

"Oh come now Sarah! You have a brain. It doesn't hurt to think every once in a while." Was it really necessary for him to insult me constantly? He offered a hand to help me stand. I chose to ignore it as I slid out of the bed, landing shakily on my feet. I felt a hand at my elbow, but I waved it off, even though my legs were shuddering under my weight. Just because he transferred my injury to himself doesn't mean-wait. That's how I was able to wake up. I felt myself blush again, this time embarrassed by my own stupidity.

"So why did you heal me if it was only going to give you my wound?" I asked as I took careful steps toward the bureau. My legs were slowly getting accustomed to my weight again, shaking less with each step.

"The only thing that can heal wounds is time. An injury cannot simply be cured by hocus pocus. It has to be transferred to a host to finish healing. You weren't showing any signs of healing or waking up, so I transferred the wound from your weak human body to my powerful immortal body."

I finally reached the glorified closet, and opened it. I supported myself on the door, looking at my options. Dresses, dresses, more dresses. Ugh. I don't have hatred for dresses, but that didn't mean I wished to wear them all the time.

"I thought you said I would have 'romping' clothing."

"You were. That was before your injury and following blackout."

"And this changes my ability to wear pants because…?"

"You're not going to be leaving the castle."

"Yes I am. I need some fresh air and sunshine you know."

"You can get all the fresh air and sunshine from the windows of this castle." Jareth closed the distance between us, the only thing separating us was the sheets I used to cover myself. I tensed at the heat of his body against mine. "I am forbidding you to leave this castle, and anyone that helps you escape will be sentenced to death."

It took all the courage I had to keep eye contact. Even though I now saw his one blue, one brown eye, they still held the same dark danger as ever before. I couldn't find the words to express my anger, so I just shoved my arms outward in an attempt to knock him over. He stumbled back a step. Perhaps he was expecting my normal verbal attack. He was on me in an instant, grasped my wrist and bent it backwards until I moaned from the pain.

"Don't you EVER do that again," He hissed in my ear. "Next time I won't hesitate before breaking a bone or two, and I can't promise it will be yours that I'll be breaking. I might get a hold of one of your friends instead."

I yanked my hand from his grasp and turned away, focusing my attention on the dresses so I wouldn't cry. I picked out what looked to be the most comfortable dress in the closet: a cream colored dress with bright sapphire blue embroidered flowers flowing on the bottom of the skirt and short sleeves that covered my shoulders. I fervently looked around for undergarments.

"Can I at least have some underwear if you insist on dressing me like your personal doll?" Even I could hear in my voice that I was on the verge of angry tears. The world was blurring behind a wall of tears. No. I'm tired of crying! Jareth pressed his body against my back his holding a black bundle of something in front of me. I snatched it out of his hand and stormed to the door that led to the bathroom. I slammed my body into it, my legs started shaking again as I braced myself against the floor to open the heavy wood door. It didn't budge.

Jareth gently nudged me to the side and he pulled the door towards him, opening it with ease. At least he wasn't going to tease me about being too dumb to open the God-damned door at the moment. I stumbled into the bathroom to find a goblin scrubbing the giant tub. He looked up, quite startled, and bowed hastily.

"Get out. _Now_." The rage in my voice was enough to send the goblin scurrying out of the bathroom, almost forgetting his cleaning supplies. I would have thrown a brush at his head if he left anything behind.

I dropped my clothes to the floor, and stomped over to the shallowest part of the tub: a corner with what looked like a bench to rest upon. I wadded up the sheets and hurled them at Jareth's face before scrambling into the tub. I placed a hand on the nearest facet, and hot water burst forth from all the facets around the tub. Hot enough to melt away the tension in my muscles. I sat on the marble cut out that served as a bench and as the water rose I glared at Jareth. He was wearing one of his annoying smirks as his eyes flickered over my body. I quickly crossed my legs and crossed my arms over my chest.

He silently walked toward me, peeling off his gloves and shirt. Apparently that bastard was planning on joining me. Fucking fantastic. He had reached the facet by the time the water reached my collar bone and he stroked it, which made the water stop. I looked away as he proceeded to take off the rest of his clothes. I didn't want to look at him and his smug face. I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my shins, closing my eyes. I felt gentle talons grasp my knee cap. I opened an eye to find a barn owl flicking his feathery wings on the surface of the water, sending small droplets everywhere.

I tried desperately not to smile.


End file.
